Scotland The Brave

I am not Scottish, but live in Edinburgh, therefore the impending Independence Referendum looms large on my horizon as much as it does anyone else living within Scottish borders. Here is a series of posts relating to the issues, and incase it is not obvious from the outset, to be clear, and without a doubt, I will be voting…

Two recurring thoughts on #indyref:
1. the NO camp plead that Scotland stay to fight bad UK politics, but when did they earn that favour?
2. There doesn’t have to be shared nationality for people to share cause and support each other through bad times.

Seems announcement regarding new powers for Scotland is just a timetable for what has already been promised. Except of course, it’s not what people want, hence the YES vote.

The Morning After by Christine De Luca

Scotland, 19th September 2014

Let none wake despondent: one way
or another we have talked plainly,
tested ourselves, weighed up the sum
of our knowing, ta’en tent o scholars,
checked the balance sheet of risk and
fearlessness, of wisdom and of folly.

Was it about the powers we gain or how
we use them? We aim for more equality;
and for tomorrow to be more peaceful
than today; for fairness, opportunity,
the common weal; a hand stretched out
in ready hospitality.

It’s those unseen things that bind us,
not flag or battle-weary turf or tartan.
There are dragons to slay whatever happens:
poverty, false pride, snobbery, sectarian
schisms still hovering. But there’s
nothing broken that’s not repairable.

We’re a citizenry of bonnie fighters,
a gathered folk; a culture that imparts,
inspires, demands a rare devotion,
no back-tracking; that each should work
and play our several parts to bring about
the best in Scotland, an open heart.

Since the referendum, I have joined both the SNP and The Scottish Green Party. If you want a better future, I would urge you to do the same.

SNP : https://my.snp.org/join

GREENS : http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/join-donate/ 

Please see my response in the comments to that post.

 

 

It’s been brought to my attention that the conclusion above is undermined by the small sample taken for the youngest age group for Lord Ashcroft poll. I’ve written to ask for verification,

Dear Sir / Madam,

the Referendum Poll is proving invaluable for analysis and understanding how Scotland voted. However, I am concerned at the small sample size of only 14 individuals in the 16-17 year old age class, that has subsequently been widely used for comparison and interpretation. Please would you provide some assurances of its statistical validity, or suggest a more rigorous estimate of vote share for the first-time voters.

Thank you and best regards.